Islamabad High Court suspends Imran's 3-yr sentence

Islamabad: The Islamabad High Court on Tuesday suspended Imran Khan's conviction and three-year sentence in the Toshakhana corruption case and ordered his release, in a major relief to the former jailed Pakistan prime minister. A division bench comprising Islamabad High Court (IHC) Chief Justice Aamir Farooq and Justice Tariq Mehmood Jahangiri announced the much-anticipated verdict which was reserved on Monday.

“Decision of District Court (has been) suspended by IHC,” Khan's party Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) said in a short WhatsApp message. “The copy of the judgment will be available shortly … all we are saying now is that [Imran's] request has been approved,” Justice Farooq said.

Khan's aide on legal affairs Naeem Haider Panjotha posted on X: “The CJ has accepted our request, suspended the sentence and said a detailed decision would be provided later.” The judges reserved the verdict on Monday after the rival lawyers concluded their arguments on the suspension of the three-year sentence awarded by Judge Humayun Dilawar on August 5.

A trial court in Islamabad convicted and sentenced the 70-year-old PTI chairman to three years in prison on August 5. The cricketer-turned-politician was sentenced on charges of unlawfully selling state gifts acquired by him and his family during his 2018-2022 tenure. He has also been barred from politics for five years, preventing him from contesting an upcoming election. Khan challenged his conviction within days and the IHC began a formal hearing on August 22. The Toshakhana case was filed by ruling party lawmakers in 2022 in the ECP, alleging that Khan concealed the proceeds from the sale of state gifts. The ECP first disqualified Khan and then filed a case of criminal proceedings in a sessions court which convicted him and subsequently, Khan was sent to jail.

Khan is currently in Attock Jail following his arrest from his Lahore home. The case alleges that Khan had “deliberately concealed” details of the gifts he retained from the Toshakhana - a repository where presents handed to government officials from foreign officials are kept - during his time as the prime minister from 2018 to 2022 and proceeds from their reported sales.